How to get started sharetrading

Shares may be simpler than you think, and may be a good way to grow wealth over time as part of a wider investment strategy.

What is a share?

Generally, a share is a unit of ownership in a company. When you buy a share, it’s like buying a small piece of that company.

Why choose shares?

There are often two main reasons people choose to invest in shares. Firstly, shares have the potential to increase in capital value over time. And secondly, shares can sometimes offer an income in the form of dividends.

Having said that, shares can go down in value too, and in the worst case lose all their value. That's why most people invest in shares as part of a diversified portfolio. When trading shares consider the long term view and be prepared for fluctuations in prices. Learn more.

Where do I trade shares?

In order to trade shares in New Zealand, you need to register for an account with an NZX firm. This means that the firm you’re dealing with meets all the regulatory requirements for buying and selling shares in New Zealand.

ASB Securities is an NZX firm. Opening a trading account with ASB Securities comes with a number of helpful tools to help you monitor and research shares, buy and sell shares, and keep track of shares.